Famous Temples in India

Religious Significance

Mythical background - Once upon a time, Sri Hari came to Srigiriparvat, which is popularly known as Seshachala, holding a bow in his hand for worldly welfare. It was a dense forest. In the forest where the evil beasts resided, Srihari went hunting and killed all the evil beasts and preserved his disciples and travelled all over the Chola country and Pandya. He came to Kodachadri from Kodachadri and came to the banks of the beautiful river Somaganashini. It was a very beautiful area. He stayed for some time in the region of Kankahrada, west of the Aghanashini coast, where Mahavishnu settled down as a Venkatesha, a rock on the shore of Kankahra. This area is now known as Gilalagundi. One day, one of the great devotees of Lord Mahavishnu came to the region of Kankahrada where Lord Venkatesha was residing. Then, after taking a bath in the tirtha, the paternal deities performed the rituals and drank the tirtha. And sitting under a tree in the alley, doing a penance about Lord Vishnu. These yogis are Tirumala yogis. One day when the Tirumala Yogi was performing a similar practice in the place, he heard a voice in the early morning as he meditated on Lord Vishnu. That is, “Hey, Thirumala Yogindra, in the middle of a rock in the auspicious region of Kankahra where Lord Venkateshwara resides with his entourage. The stone idol of Venkateshwara should be taken away and taken half a distance north from here, there is a beautiful place called Manjaguni. Located on the western shore of the Somaganasini River, the place is also home to a group of ash trees. In the middle of that tree is a shadow. Make a place there and install that idol, Sri Venkatesh. To the north-east of that mountain, there is the Teertha of “Konari”, where the son of a vaishya Vasu had long ago given many treasures.

Take all of this and build a stone temple in order to establish Sri Venkateswara Swamy, then perform the penance in the same area and consecrate the diety. You have to do everything as per the right rituals.” The voiceover stood up, Tirumala Yogi surprised by this and in his dream Mahavishnu appeared and said “I am pleased by your bhakti, Now onwards I want to live here, I want you to establish me where the Chakratirtha, Dhenutirtha, Patangatirtha, Indutirtha are located.” As per the Sri Venkatesha`s guidance, Tirumalayogi went there and smashed the stone and carved the statue. But when the tool hit the idol’s head and the bloodstream began, Tiramalayogi was horrified and begged, “Excuse me, great lord, I committed sin.” Then voiceover started again saying “Do not worry, you have not committed any sin, just press the area of Idol where bloodstream is coming, it will stop, and then establish me as guided earlier”. Tirumala yogi did the same and bloodstream stopped. Meanwhile, Ishwar, who was in the form of a Cow and Brahma in the form of a calf, came to feel that this yogi was carrying Sri Venkateswara and the cow started to stab him. Then the voiceover started saying that don’t do anything to him, he is my great devotee. On hearing this the cow poured milk and did the Ksheerabhishekam on the Idol. Then the four Vedas were proclaimed, the Ishvara and the Brahma responded when the Tirumalai Yogis bowed down to the cattle and prayed that they would show him the true nature. Then the Surydeva (Sun God) came in the form of a swan, Then Tirumala yogi purified the idol of Lord Venkateswara with the help of Surya Deva. When he came to the place of the Ashoka trees on the banks of the river Somaganasini, Sri Venkatesha told the Tirumalai that this was a holy place, then Yogi found an anthill at that place the Idol became heavier, Tirumala yogi could not hold it and he kept the Idol on the anthill, and then he could not lift it. Then he heard a loud voice, “Set me up in the same place.” Then Tirumala yogi established the Idol there and built the temple as per the guidance of Lord Venkateshwara using the treasure which was hidden under the earth by Vasu.